Many business groups come to Japan to see how things are made. A technical visit to a factory, a research site or a logistics centre can be the reason for the whole trip. These visits are possible, but they are not tickets you can buy. Each one is a request to a company, and the company decides.
Two kinds of visit
- Public factory tours. Some food, drink and consumer brands run regular tours on a fixed schedule, often with a showroom or museum. They take bookings, sometimes online, and are the easiest to plan.
- Technical visits. A visit arranged for one group, with a meeting and a guided walk through the site. This is what most professional and study groups want. It depends on the company's goodwill and on the purpose of the visit.
What a company needs from you
- Lead time. Ask two to three months ahead for a technical visit. Some companies need longer, and some say no.
- A clear purpose. Who the group is, which industry, and what they want to learn. A precise purpose gets a yes more often than a general one.
- A participant list. Names, companies and job titles. Some sites also ask for passport details in advance.
- Flexible dates. Plants usually receive visitors on weekdays only, and not during Golden Week, the summer Obon break or the New Year holidays.
On the day
- Punctuality. The group arrives a few minutes early, and the schedule is kept to the minute.
- Rules on site. Photography inside is usually forbidden. Safety shoes, helmets or glasses may be provided. Visitors keep to the marked walkway.
- Interpreting. A technical discussion needs a trained interpreter, not only a tour guide. See our guide to guides and interpreters.
- Small gifts and cards. Business cards are exchanged at the start. A modest gift from the group's home country is welcome.
Where to go
The Nagoya region is the heart of Japan's car and machinery industry, covered in our Central Japan guide. Industrial museums in several cities are a good addition, or a fallback when a plant says no; see our guide to Japan's museums. For school groups, our educational travel guide covers science and technology visits.
How we arrange it
We draft the request with the group's purpose, approach the company or its visitor office, and keep a second choice ready. We book the interpreter, plan the transport to sites that are often outside the city, and build the rest of the programme around the confirmed slot. For incentive and conference groups, see our guide to MICE and incentive travel.
FAQ
Can tourists visit factories in Japan? Yes. Some companies run public factory tours on a fixed schedule. A private technical visit for a business group must be requested from the company, and it may be refused.
How far ahead should a technical visit be requested? Two to three months is a good minimum. Some companies need longer.
Can visitors take photos inside Japanese factories? Usually not. Photography inside the production area is normally forbidden.
Planning a study mission or a business delegation to Japan? Write to b2b@explera.jp, message the trade desk on WhatsApp at +66 93 656 8090, or register on the B2B portal. Proposals within 24 hours. IATA TIDS 96215733, ASTA member 900408341.
